Public Speaking
Trans Women Exist - This is Not A Debate
A protest performance given at the Brighton Dome in response to their refusal to cancel an event featuring a well known transphobe, despite receiving a 17,000 name petition requesting they do so. I read the following statement and then sat in silence for 45 minutes on the main stage of the Dome.
When I was a child I loved to watch a film called The Tale of the Bunny Picnic. It was made by Jim Henson. It tells the story of a village of little bunnies who are terrorised by a giant dog, (who is in turn terrorised by a farmer). At the end of the film, the bunnies stand united against the farmer and they sing. - One voice becomes many and the farmer is scared away. - The bunnies unite with the dog against their common enemy.
I was invited here today, for International Women’s Day, to respond to the hateful things about trans women that have been said by one of the Dome’s guest speakers. To protest the invitation of someone who has continuously slandered trans women – contributing directly to the matrix of oppression that continues to cause harm, hatred and discrimination against an extremely vulnerable group of women. - I realised in contemplating a performance to present here today what a profound effect the tale of the bunny picnic has had upon my perception of activism, of protest. - That the image of many voices standing together is powerful. - So I imagined inviting many trans women to stand here with me today - I would stand here and sing and slowly other voices would join in – Trans women of all ages and backgrounds step out of the wings and from the auditorium and we all stand here together. - Those women are then joined by other trans including non binary people. Until the stage is full with beautiful, proud, trans bodies. - Like the bunnies. - Strong. - Existing. - Proud. - And the farmer, the guest speaker, is scared away – or maybe the farmer isn’t the Guest Speaker. Maybe the farmer is the Patriarchy. - And the guest speaker is the giant dog and we would unite together to face our common enemy. - This would be a nice thought – to stand united and work together – like the bunnies and the dog. - Rather than in opposition, allowing the farmer to beat the dog and make rabbit stew.
But.
I realise this is a film for children. - That the world we live in is not like the one in the bunny picnic. - It is more violent – more dangerous for trans women than it is for bunnies. - And when publicly funded, supposedly progressive spaces like the Brighton Dome invite perpetrators of violence and hatred to speak on their stage. - They reveal that they are not safe for us either. - So I did not invite other trans women into this space - I did not invite people to stand here in danger - Because we are vulnerable and to stand here is to be named and to be named provides opportunity for attack. And the attacks are getting worse. The situation is getting worse. - Today I do not believe visibility is our best course of action. - I was invited here to respond creatively, beautifully to the hateful rhetoric of the Dome’s honoured guest speaker. - But I do not think it is our responsibility to convince you that our lives are valid - I do not think it is our responsibility to fight - To persuade you That Trans Rights are Human Rights - To plead with you to recognise that Trans Lives Matter - To twist your arm into supposing that trans people deserve to live peacefully. - I do not think it is the responsibility of a minority to provide justification for not being attacked - So I reject the invitation. - You can imagine me standing there, imagine the beautiful trans women, imagine the powerful song.
But we will sit here in silence because there is nothing to say - I do not debate this - I withdraw artistic services - And we will use our time. all 45 remaining minutes – not debating.
Pride
I have had the honour to co-present the Trans Pride Brighton stage for 5 of the past 6 years, as well as participating in pride events around the world.
In 2019 I helped organise the #LwiththeT group who marched at the front of the London Pride parade that year.